The Ivory Coast Essay

Giving money for a positive cause is always a good thing especially when they create favorable long term effects. There are numerous countries suffering for several different reasons all around the world, one of these countries being The Ivory Coast. The Ivory Coast is failing in different aspects because of certain social, economic and political issues. One of the biggest problems to date is the poor education system. We plan to repair the countries damaged education system by rebuilding schools and supplying people with the necessary resources needed to pursue a decent education. With help from the World Bank, Oprah Winfrey and any others willing to contribute to our cause, we are confident that the Ivory Coast can be put on a steady path to success. The Ivory Coast is located on the South coast of West Africa. Surrounding countries include Guinea, Liberia, Burkina Faso and Ghana. The country is about 322,463 sq. Kilometers. Today, there are over 20 million people living in the Ivory Coast.

There are about 39 people per sq. Kilometer. There is a pretty even number of males to females, 51% males, to 49 % females. The life expectancy age is approximately 59 years old. People of the Ivory Coast practice many different religions. These religions include traditional beliefs practiced and developed in certain varying villages, Christianity, Roman Catholicism and Islam. The current president is Alassane Ouattara. The official language of the Ivory Coast is French, but there are multiple languages spoken in the country including Dioula, Baloule, Dan, Anyin and Cebaara Senufo. The capital of the country is Yamoussoukro and Abidjan serves as the administrative center. The flag of the country is composed of three bold, vertical strips all different colors. The orange color on the flag represents the rich and generous land, it also is a symbol for the blood of young people who fought for emancipation.

The white strip represents peace, and the green exemplifies hope for a better future. Common Cuisine consists of a dish called aloko, a popular snack that is served with fried banana, onions and chilies. Popular music includes Zoblazo, Zouglou and Coupé- Décalé. When traveling to the Ivory Coast, All visitors require a passport and a visa is necessary, except for nationals of USA and ECOWAS countries. It is hard to determine when existence first began in the Ivory Coast due to the fact that human remains have not been well preserved. But with discovery of old weapon fragments and tools, life of the Ivory Coast seems to have begun during the upper Patheolithic period (15,000 to 10,000 BC). Research indicates that the early inhabitants of the Ivory Coast seem to be scattered, leaving historians to come to the conclusions that the ancestors of present Ivory Coast Inhabitants were displaced. The earliest recorded history of the Ivory Coast is found within the trade caravan conducted by North African traders from early Roman times. A caravan of salt, slaves, gold etc. was conducted across the Sahara.

After independence from France in 1960, the Ivory Coast economic success story was built on cocoa, and other agricultural products including coffee, cotton and fruits. But many laborers, who originally came from neighboring countries, and their descendants, increasingly felt marginalized. This contributes to a rebellion in 2002 which split Ivory Coast in two. The Ivory Coast is currently suffering due to ongoing social and economic issues. The major economic issue today in Ivory Coast is the rebuilding of Ivory Coast infrastructure, main roads, cocoa farm and reducing their deficit which is about us$2.3 million. As the political impasse persists in divided Ivory Coast, the West Africa country, which was once the region’s economic powerhouse, faces further decline. Residents and analysis are very worried about the quickly dissolving economic situation there.

After the political crisis a lot of banks were shot down, cocoa farms which is one of the major resources in Ivory Coast were destroyed, shortage of cooking gas, roads were damage and the price of food raised. Socially, the health of the country is extremely poor. Malaria, a virus caused by parasites infects a high percentage of the country and is a leading cause of death in children and is the second highest cause of morbidity and mortality in the Ivory Coast. Symptoms of malaria include fever, body aches, nausea, vomiting, fatigue and sweating. Unfortunately, Malaria is not the only deadly disease which affects many in the Ivory Coast. The AIDS epidemic is preoccupying; over 3.9% of the adult population is HIV-positive. Around 500,000 persons are living with HIV. HIV/AIDS is the highest cause of morbidity and mortality in Cote d’Ivoire. Aside from diseases, Water pollution is an environmental problem in the Ivory Coast. Due to chemical waste from agricultural, industrial, and mining sources: about 92% of the country’s city dwellers and 72% of the rural population have safe water.

Water pollution is a massive problem in the Ivory Coast that is causing struggle and delaying the process to achieve peace. Sadly, there are other issues in the Ivory Coast aside from health concerns. Poor education has not always been a problem, but the topic has become increasingly significant in recent years. Most people do not continue school after the primary level. There are multiple factors that contribute to such a low number of educated individuals. One of the main reasons that education is at such a decline now, is because of the current political crisis. The 2010 presidential election between incumbent Laurent Gbagbo and opposition member Alassane Ouattara resulted in a political standoff and violent conflict after Gbagbo refused to honor the results that declared Ouattara the winner. Two elections were held. The initial election did not yield a winner and a second electoral round was held on November 28, 2010.

The polling results were released on December 2, 2010 and declared Ouattara the new president of Côte d’Ivoire after he received 54.1% of the vote. The political stalemate turned violent and caused the decline of state security, threatened regional stability, and resulted in gross human rights violations and violence against civilians. The UN reported in March 2011 that over 1000 people were killed in clashes, and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees stated that over 500,000 Ivorians were forcibly displaced, and 94,000 Ivorians fled to neighboring Liberia out of fear of violence. The country seemed to be divided. Forces loyal to Gbagbo and Ouattara were accused of gross human rights against civilians which could amount to crimes against humanity including enforced disappearances, sexual violence, and extrajudicial killings. After months of defying the outcome of the presidential election, Laurent Gbagbo was arrested by Ouattara forces on 11 April 2011 following an attack on his residence in Abidjan.

Alassane Ouattara immediately called for the establishment of a truth and reconciliation commission. Côte d’Ivoire now faces many challenges as a result of the far reaching effects of the crisis, including the restoration of peace and security, the prevention of further human rights abuses, and the delivery of humanitarian aid. Alassane Ouattara’s government must now foster peace and reconciliation in Côte d’Ivoire and insure that those responsible for gross human rights violations are held accountable. After the 2010 presidential crisis there were nearly 800,000 children out of school due to the crisis and some are still waiting to get back to learning. “We arrived at school at 7:30 a.m. as we always do on a school day. At exactly 8:30 we could hear shooting coming from the direction of a neighbouring village,” recalls Pafait Guei, a 14-year-old boy who attended primary school in the western area of Ivory Coast. Instead of being in school, young children are seen selling goods on road sides in attempt to earn very little money to support themselves and their family.

In a venture to try and help the Ivory Coast education system we have devised a plan that will ultimately rebuild the Ivory Coast education system. Our plan is to obtain a minimum of $10,000,000 dollars from the world bank and Oprah Winfrey to help at least 100,000 children by distributing school bags filled with supplies such as textbooks, pens, pencils, eraser, pencil sharpener to support families in need. We also want to re-open/re-build many schools that were affected by the crisis. Even the ones that have re-opened have a shortage in desks, chairs, and supplies. We plan on hiring more teachers. Most of the schools have 1 teacher per 50 students. We will use all of the money to help the government pay for the teacher’s salaries and hopefully the country will move in the right direction and will be able to afford and continue our efforts once the money finishes.

We feel as though Oprah would be a good choice as a financial contributor because of her stand on education, especially after building the school in South Africa, she was quoted saying: “I think the reason not just Africa but the world is in the state that it is because of a lack of leadership on all levels of government … and particularly in regard to schools and schooling for poor children. … The best way to effect change long term is to … give children exposure and opportunity and nurture them to understand their own power and possibility.” We hope that she would be willing to aid us with a significant amount of funds to move the Ivory Coast forward in the right direction. There are many commendable reasons to donate money to the Ivory Coast. Donating money to the Ivory Coast would only result in positive effects.

Only about half of the population is illiterate and many children are not enrolled in school (between the ages 6-10). By donating money to the Ivory Coast, we will be able to begin to change the statistics by creating more education opportunities. We also will make educational resources more accessible to everyone. Those who have some form of education can have the opportunity to extend their education, and those who have no or very little education would have the chance to receive one. Having better education opportunities would not only benefit those going to school, but it would also create jobs. There is usually about one teacher to every fifty children, but with the money we receive, we plan to hire more teachers. Less children in the classrooms means that the children could receive better and more direct attention. This can ensure that the material being taught is actually getting across to each student, and it will become easier to give one on one attention to those who need it if there are more teachers available to help. Not to mention the fact that the employment rate will increase providing more individuals with a source of income.

If anyone were to decide to donate or contribute money to the Ivory Coast you would be a part of our plan to help to build a stronger economy. One of the many reasons Africa is suffering as a whole is because of the lack of necessary resources needed to obtain a good paying job. If we do not invest in education, the education system will continue to fail. Majority of people in The Ivory Coast do not continue schooling after primary school because they do not have the funds for college and feel that it more important to get a job barely making ends meats. But if we can provide money for schooling and education, this can create a better future not just for the Ivory Coast but for Africa as well. If people were to have the credentials needed to land a decent job, this could slowly start to increase income in households. Donations could also help begin to restore order in the Ivory Coast. Because people were displaced, had to flee, or were forced out of their homes, many people of all ages could not continue to go to school. If we can focus in on trying to get people of the Ivory Coast back in school, this can be a stepping stone to help the country prosper. In the 1980’s education was named one of the country’s main priorities and the plan has proven successful .

Education received about one-third of the national budget. Because education was so greatly emphasized, The Ivory Coast education rate changed dramatically. An overall 43% literacy rate increase, 53% for men, and 31% for woman. Nearly 15% of the country was enrolled in some sort of educational institution. If we attempt this once again, we are confident that we can get the same, if not better results than we had in the 1980’s. The fact that a similar plan was put into effect and carried out with positive results gives us more motivation to believe that our approach will be effective. Education is extremely significant when trying to make a country prosper. If we try to make education our main focus, the things that are important become relevant again and the Ivory Coast can continue to flourish positively. Giving the children a chance at a better education can ensure a better future for the country’s entirety. The flight from JFK airlines to Abidjan through Air France is approximately $1513.

You would be staying in one of the best hotels in the Ivory Coast, The Ibis Abidjan Plateau (located in Abidjan), which is $1137 for 7 days 6 nights; it includes breakfast and a car rental. While in the Ivory Coast, there are many interesting places and landmarks to visit. The Basilica Notre Dame de la Paix, also known as Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yammousoukro is one of the greatest prides of the Ivory Coast. It is considered as the tallest and largest church in the whole world. The basilica is specifically located at Yammousoukro, Ivory Coast. Its construction started in 1985 and was finished four years later. It cost $300 million to complete the basilica.

The Taï National Park is a national park in Côte d’Ivoire containing one of the last areas of primary rainforest in West Africa. It was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1982 due to the breadth of its flora and fauna. There are a few of the animals found on the Taï National Park that are on the red list of threatened species such as the pygmy hippopotamus, leopards, and chimpanzees. The rainforest is located in Abidjan. There is also a beach called Bassam, it is about 45 minutes away from Abidjan city, so it’s possible to do a day trip from the city.

This country has the potential to become prosperous and peaceful. All it needs is good leadership and unity within the country. Ivory Coast has good natural resources and it has been proven to have the capacity to do well economically. Hopefully now with the new president the country will continue in the good direction and he will focus on the major issues facing this country such as political stability, addressing the health issues, and most importantly, not forget the importance of an education, and all the benefits it will bring to the country as a whole if at least the literacy rate of the country goes up.